Shahid Afridi who used to be the captain of Pakistan cricket has publicly criticized all-rounder Shadab Khan because of Shadab’s comments about Pakistan cricket’s World Cup results against India.

The controversy started after Pakistan defeated Namibia in their Group A match during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Shadab told the media that his team had achieved victory over India in the World Cup because they won their match against India in 2021 whereas former players had been unable to accomplish that feat.

The comment appeared during a time when former cricketers including Afridi and Mohammad Yousuf were criticizing Pakistan after their defeat against India in the previous tournament.

Pakistan advanced to the Super 8s after their comeback victory.

Pakistan achieved a strong victory over Namibia by 102 runs after their loss to India on February 15. Shadab helped his team reach the Super 8 stage by scoring 35 runs without getting out and taking three wickets under the leadership of captain Salman Ali Agha.

His statements attracted disapproval from former players while the Pakistan Cricket Board which had warned players against making unnecessary public statements found his remarks unacceptable.

Afridi Says Players Need To Prove Their Value Through Performance Against Major Opponents

Afridi spoke about Pakistan’s historic 2021 victory against India on a Pakistani television show but he doubted his team’s ability to maintain that success.

He said players should respond to criticism through performances rather than statements especially against stronger opposition.

Afridi said they backed their statements with actual performances during matches against major teams while he told Shadab that he needed to perform well during upcoming Super 8 matches.

Afridi reminded the all-rounder that former players supported him through tough times and he said that excellent performances would make critics stop talking about him.

Super 8 Matches Bring Important Challenges

Pakistan will face three difficult Super 8 matches against New Zealand and England and Sri Lanka. Their campaign begins against New Zealand at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.